This blog is produced by Brendan Buck, a qualified and experienced town planner. Contact Brendan - brendan@buckplanning.ie or 087-2615871 - if you need planning advice.

Sunday, 28 March 2010

Desmond bashes Liberty Hall plan

Billionaire businessman Dermot Desmond has objected to plans for the redevelopment of Liberty Hall in Dublin, saying it "proceeds from a complete failure to recognise that a building of such height cannot work at that location".

He said the submission by trade union SIPTU for a new building of up to 20 storeys in places used "cavalier language" that denied the reality that Liberty Hall fails as a design concept and as a building.

"The existing Liberty Hall is, without doubt, an uninspiring and ugly building – poorly conceived and utterly incongruous in its setting," Desmond wrote. "For the full duration of its existence it has been an all too evident reminder of an era when urban design values were under-appreciated within, if not completely absent from, the planning process." However, he said the new proposal would represent "gross over-development of this site" if it goes ahead.

Irish Life, meanwhile, said it had a "number of serious concerns" relating to the impact the development could have on its office at Beresford Court where Irish Life Investment Managers is based. "Irish Life would wish to support Siptu in the redevelopment of Liberty Hall, but cannot do so in this case because the proposal currently before the planning authority would have very severe impacts on its property and operations during the demolition and construction phase and will have long-term and severe impacts on the operation and value of its Beresford Court property," it told Dublin City Council. It said the plan to demolish Liberty Hall over 10 months was "exceptional", particularly given that Lansdowne Road stadium was demolished in three months.

The VHI has also raised concerns, saying the value of its headquarters on Abbey Street could be adversely affected by the proposal. It could create overshadowing and cause downdrafts it said, but added that it supported the redevelopment of Liberty Hall in principle but not as presently proposed.

An Taisce's heritage officer Ian Lumley said that the plan "would be a monstrous intrusion on the skyline of the city".

No comments:

Planning & Design Consultant

Brendon Buck is a Town Planner. His principal area of expertise are managing planning applications and appeals. He also represents individuals and communities during the planning process for projects which impact on them. He has worked in public and private sector planning for almost 20 years. He maintains a Masters degree in Regional and Urban Planning, and diplomas in Urban Design and in Environmental Impact Assessment / Strategic Environmental Assessment. He is a member of the Irish Planning Institute (the accreditation body for Irish town planners who make and assess planning applications).

New TCD plans for Pearse Street

Dublin bridge wins European award

Dún Laoghaire's planned Cultural Centre and Central Library

Proposed Tara Street Station Tower

The Samuel Beckett Bridge arriving at Dublin Port

Proposed Kenmare culture centre

Proposed Poolbeg Urban Quarter

First bridge across the border between the Republic and the North

The Shell Ship

Metro North

Help to understand the Irish planning system and its goings on

This blog is designed, written and produced to provide anyone with an interest in planning or who needs to understand parts of the planning system with this information, and also to provide an up to date log of Irish planning stories which deserve national attention.

In addition, from time to time interesting pieces of planning related material will be posted. If anyone wants anything included just email me and I'll post it (if it is not too rude ...).

Students of planning will find parts of this site especially useful as course notes.

Those who need help with a planning issue or matter can contact me at 087-2615871 or email brendan@buckplanning.ie